Willie Wilson says he'll spend about $200,000 to provide $35 of free gas per car at 30 Chicago stations on April 4. Past giveaways drew long lines and neighborhood traffic.

CPS approved two-year academic calendars that push K–12 starts to late August, keep the first semester ending after winter break and reflect thousands of survey responses.

Longtime Woodlawn residents at Chaney Braggs formed a tenant union after learning a prospective buyer may raise rents or tear down their building as the Obama Center nears. Organizers are pushing officials to use preservation rules to keep homes affordable.

DuPage County will vote on a $2.5M contribution to Loaves & Fishes’ Hub 2.0 expansion, joining a $5M Endeavor Health pledge to boost the Aurora hub.

City funding will bankroll pop‑ups, rent help and marketing on Cermak Road and 26th Street as businesses try to recover from the Midway enforcement surge. Local nonprofits will run activation programs and offer technical support to entrepreneurs.

Aurora will cut the ribbon Thursday on two new fire stations, including the city’s first north of I-88. Public tours follow each opening.

A thief emptied the Block Academy's freezer, taking food and supplies that feed dozens of local children. Volunteers and neighbors are scrambling to replace meals.

Orion Samuelson, WGN’s longtime farm broadcaster, has died at 91. He spent 60 years explaining agriculture to city and country listeners.

Aurora opened a temporary overnight warming center Sunday night at the Financial Empowerment Center, offering 7 p.m.–7 a.m. shelter for residents during a cold snap.

A suburban Chicago mother says District 126 denied her child’s enrollment after license‑plate logs showed the family’s car overnighting in Chicago. The district has a paid contract with Thomson Reuters CLEAR for residency checks.

Organizers say the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon injected $756 million into the metro economy and set a record $47.1 million for charity. The uptick supported thousands of jobs across hospitality and retail.

Vanderbilt named University of Chicago vice provost Jason Merchant as the new Searcy Family Dean of Arts and Science. He starts July 1 and will hold an endowed chair in philosophy.

A new study finds Chicago’s community-built Whole School Safety process—paired with investments in mental-health and restorative supports—could be a template for other districts.